December 29, 2010

We don't see a lot of green between December and February here in Columbus, so for today's review, I thought I get my fill by trying the new candela leaf-wrapped Illusione 88 from Dion Giolito (@vudu9 on twitter), owner of Illusione Cigars. Earlier in the year, Illusione put out another vitola with this wrapper (the HL) which received decent reviews. I smoked a few of them and thought they were very interesting; perhaps not an everyday kind of cigar, but something fun to mix it up. I asked Dion why he did the candelas via twitter and his response is below:

I've just always liked candelas. It's olde tyme flavor. Back in the day, all of the old cats that hung out in the casinos smoked them. --Dion Giolito

The "regular" Illusione 88 has been a staple in my humidor ever since I received a box as a wedding gift. It's not a vitola in the core Illusione line that gets a ton of praise around the web, but I have always been a big fan and try to keep some on hand (note to self: I am out - order some more). With all that said, this is my first time trying the blend with the candela wrapper, so let's see how it goes.

The waxy green wrapper color is a pretty crazy sight to behold on the Illusione 88 Candela. I smoke a lot of Illusione products, so seeing a very familiar band with a very unfamiliar color definitely made me take a extra minute or two staring at the cigar before cutting it. With that said, the color does stand out, but what also stands out just as much is the STRONG pre-lit aroma. I could be nice and say it smelled like hay, or barnyard, but really it smelled just like walking into the elephant house at the zoo. A little off-putting, yes, but we've all smoked cigars that smell awful before lighting them, and then the flavors are great after. The cigar cut easily and the cold draw tasted of natural tobacco mixed with some grassy notes.

First Third

The Illusione 88 Candela lit easily with my soft flame lighter and immediately produced thick clouds of smoke that had an interesting aroma. It was not a grassy aroma like I would expect from the cold draw, but more of a earthy aroma that you sometimes smell at your local garden nursery. The initial flavors were black peppery spice with hints of leather and earth on the front, but on the finish was where things got interesting. After blowing the smoke out of my mouth and nose, I was left with a sweet taste that reminded me of raw sugar; not so sweet that it was sickening or gross, but a nice, natural sweetness that is an unusual taste in cigars. Lots of cigars have sweet flavors, but not this flavor. When you smoke one, I think you will know what I'm talking about. The draw and filler burn of the stick was perfect in the first third, but the wrapper leaf had some issues burning straight. I'm not an expert on candelas but I would venture to say that this is common with that style of wrapper. The body was in the mild to medium range.

Second Third

In the second third of my Illusione 88 Candela, the flavor profile changed up a bit. On the front, the black peppery flavors diminished and the strong flavor coming through now was leather. I still got the tingly sensation on my taste buds that the pepper normally gives, but the taste of it was gone. The finish again was where this cigar was most interesting. Along with that natural sweetness from the first third I was now tasting some green tea flavors. I'm not sure if the color of the cigar played tricks on my flavor palate or what? But if you have ever had an Arizona Green Tea from your local corner shop, this is the flavor I was tasting. My smoking partner commented that the mixture of the sugar with the green tea reminded him of green tea ice cream. Again, just like the first third, the draw and filler burn were spot on, just the wrapper leaf needed a touch up here and there with my lighter.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

The final third of my Illusione 88 Candela was pretty much the same as the second third, except for the strength seemed to pick up quite a bit. I would put this part of the stick solidly on the medium range, if not reaching into the medium to full area. The flavors were like before, strong leathery tastes on the front, sweet sugar and green tea on the finish. Something I have not mentioned is just how clean tasting this cigar was. The smoke does not leave any heavy or thick feeling in my mouth, which for me is unusual for a cigar with a predominantly leather taste. Just something I thought worth mentioning. I nubbed the stick and never felt any heat or harshness at the end.

My final thoughts on the Illusione 88 Candela? This was a fun and easy cigar to smoke. Aside from the few touch ups to keep the wrapper burning straight, I never had any problems with the construction or getting full draws of smoke from the cigar. The flavor profile was pretty classic Illusione 88 style with that crazy finish (although I didn't get the black cherry flavor that I normally get when I think of this blend, maybe that's all in the wrapper?) . It was a nice change up from what I normally smoke and a great stick for sitting around with a friend and having a conversation.

Would I buy it again? Sure I'd buy a few of these to keep on hand. As I wrote in the top potion of this post, I am a big fan of the 88. I don't think this cigar replaces the regular 88 for my favorite in the blend, but it's still nice to have something different now and then.

Would I buy a box? I don't think I'd buy a full box of these cigars. I did enjoy smoking it very much, but if I had to choose, I'd still go with the regular 88 in a box purchase. I hope other people review this cigar because I'd really like to read other peoples' experiences and see if they are similar.

December 22, 2010

Up for review today is this year's Family Reserve release from Padron. Last year, as most of you probably know, the Padron Family Reserve 45 was awarded Cigar Aficionado's Cigar of the Year. It was certainly a great cigar, so I am excited to see how this year's release stacks up. The particular cigar I am smoking came in a three pack of sticks that was available at the Padron holiday party held at Casa De Montiecristo on December 16th. The Cigar Explorer crew was invited to the event and managed to get our hands on one of these three packs.

A little bit about the cigar. Padron uses only their finest tobacco when it comes to the Family Reserve. If you look around the web you can find quotes from Jorge Padron stating that this year's stick uses some of the oldest tobacco they own. When Mario from Cigar Explorer was chatting with Jorge at the event, he expressed that what makes Padron have great cigars are the raw materials they utilize. I would say that the quality construction plays into it, also, but Jorge insists it's the materials.

The Family Reserve line of cigars is the flagship stick for Padron and with them comes a hefty price tag. Last year's stick was worth the cost. Let's see how this year's release measures up. On to the review...Specifics
Vitola: Corona Gorda
Length: 5.5
Ring Gauge: 56
Wrapper: Niaraguan Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $25.00
Smoking Location: Explorer Lounge
Beverage: water
Manufacture's Website: http://www.padron.com/

Pre-Light

The first thing which caught my attention about the Padron 46 was how much bigger it felt in my hand compared to the Padron 45th. The ring gauge is bigger, but I think it is more to do with the stick being only slightly boxed-pressed, rather than the hard press of last year's release. The wrapper is a toothy, dark brown color that is 100% consistent all the way around the cigar. There are a few veins, but they are so small that you really have to inspect the cigar closely to pick them out. The pre-lit aroma is of aged tobbacco, with some hints of espresso closer to the open foot. The cap clipped easily and the cold draw tasted of sweet tobacco mixed with some coffee flavors.

First Third

I lit my Padron 46 with a soft flame lighter and the cigar began to burn beautifly. Seemingly with some sticks, you really have to torch them to get the going correctly; this one was quite the opposite. The initial flavors on the draw were a warm cinnamon spice which was most apparent on the top of my tounge, mixed with aged tobacco. On the finish was a light cocoa flavor that didn't last too long, but made for a interesting waiting period between puffs. The smoke was very clean and didn't leave a heavy or filmly feeling on my palate. As to be expected after smoking last year's releases, the constuction of this cigar was impeccable. The ash was bright white, the burn was straight, and the draw effortless. I would plant this cigar in the medium strength body range at this point.

Second Third

The second third brought a new flavor to the show that immediately took enter stage. The finish was similar to the first third with light cocoa flavors, but now on the front of the profile came a very strong, woodsy, cedar flavor. It was almost like a switch had been thrown with this taste because it was, by far, the dominate flavor of this part of the cigar. I also need to mention here just how unbeliveably good the resting smoke from this cigar was. The aroma was mostly of high quailty cedar, but with hints of floral notes and (call me weird)...I smelled jasmine. Toward the end of the second third, some of that warm spice started to show through the strong cedar flavor again. Nothing very spicy, just enough to warm my palate. This part of the cigar was where I felt like I was smoking something special. Again, the draw/burn/ash...all Padron Family Reserve perfection.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

In the final third of my Padron 46, it was the finish on the flavor profiles' turn to change up a bit. The front was still the warm spice, mixed with strong cedar notes. (I hope everyone that smokes this cigar gets that flavor because for me, it was very enjoyable.) The change here was the finish went from a light cocoa taste into more of a rich dark chocolate flavor; almost so dark it could have been baking chocolate. With that flavor change, the length of the finish also seemed to last longer between puffs. The body stayed a consistant medium and the constuction was spot on. When nubbing the cigar, the dark chocolate took over not only the finish but also the front end of the profile. This was a fine way to end the smoking experience.

My final thoughts on the Padron Family Reserve 46 Year? Smoking this cigar just makes you feel classy. The taste and the aroma of the smoke is complex and sophisticated. I kept thinking that this is the kind of cigar you would smoke after a formal dinner on a old-fashioned cruise ship. The construction is what you would expect from a cigar of this calibur and the burn never even hinted at needing a touch up. Is this cigar better than the "cigar of the year" from last year? I would say yes. Like I wrote above, last year's was a great cigar, but for me, this year's had just a little more to it...of what I'm not sure, but something was there.

Would I buy it again? It is hard to think of a cigar that is better than this one for a special occasion. With that said, the occasion has to be the right one. An outside party or a night at the smoke shop where there are lots of people smoking is not what this stick is for. This cigar should be experienced by yourself or with just a few other BOTLs relaxing at the end of the day. The short story? Yes, I would buy more.

Would I buy a box? I wish! These are way out of my price range for box purchases, but if money is no object, I would suggest buying a box and putting it away for those "special occasions".

December 14, 2010

Today's cigar review is something I have been looking forward to ever since the weather started to get cold and the holiday lights started going up on the houses around mine. The Viaje Holiday Blend was a great stick last year, and when I heard that this years version was going to be made in one of my two favorite sizes, my anticipation was heightened. Below is an email I received from Andre Farkas, owner of Viaje Cigars:

I decided to use a different wrapper this year (Holiday Blend) to switch up the flavor a bit; select Criollo98. Still the same core as last year's release. We will probably tweak the cigar a hair, so each year will be a little different than the last. For those that grabbed a 2010 enjoy and happy holidays.

Thank you Andre for taking the time to answer my email. Enough chat, lets see how the 2010 smokes.

Due to the size of this cigar, this review is only in two parts instead of the traditional thirds.

I chose to buy My Viaje Holiday Blend 2010 in the petite robusto size because it's one of my favorite vitolas. (I picked these up at New Havana Cigars, but I am pretty sure he is sold out of them.) The combination of the small size, with the pretty large band, really made this cigar look tiny. I smoke a lot of petite robustos, but this one really looks "petite". I could tell when squeezing the cigar that is is fully packed and well-constructed. The foot of the stick is closed tightly, with the wrapper covering any sight of filler tobacco. The wrapper itself has a lot of tooth seeming to be in random places all over the leaf. A lot of times you see uniform tooth on wrapper leafs, but not with this stick. The pre-lit aroma was very leathery with earthy undertones. Not much of a cold draw on this stick (closed foot), but the wrapper left a earthy taste on my lips.

First Half

I lit my Viaje Holiday Blend 2010 with some wooden matches because I didn't want to scorch the closed foot with my triple flame. The first few puffs were WOW, a fire cracker of warm spice and smoke exploding all over my taste buds. Just like I wrote in a past review of a Viaje cigar, this stick roared out of the gate and came to the show in full strength. Speaking of strength, right from the first puff I could tell that this was a full body cigar. You know those cigars that when you light them, you just know what you are in for? This is one of them. The volume of smoke was large and the draw was excellent. After about 3/4 of an inch in, the spice started to transition to the finish of the flavor profile and brought a strong cedar taste to the front. The cedar was not only prevalent in the taste, but also in the resting smoke between puffs. My smoking partner commented that it was a "sophisticated" aroma that reminded him of a high-quality walk in humidor. As you can see in the picture above, the construction was fantastic and the ash held very strongly for over half of the stick.

Second Half and Final Thoughts

The second half of my Viaje Holiday Blend 2010 had some changes in flavors and more of a mellowing out of the smoke. When I write mellowing, I don't mean in strength (it was just as strong as it started)...I mean more in the flavors becoming one, and not as distinct to pick out. I was still getting a lot of cedar on the front of each draw, but on the finish, it was a mix of warm spice, hints of mild American-style coffee, and something else I couldn't put my finger on. Toward the nub, this mystery flavor got even stronger, but I still can't put a name to it. All these flavors blended nicely and made for a smooth and relaxing finish. The cigar burned perfectly all the way to the nub, never picking up any heat or harshness. I only ashed this cigar once before putting it down, so I'd say that is a testament to it's construction. Warning again...FULL BODY. My heart was well racing from the nicotine by the time I put this little guy down. It was not to much, but in a bigger size, it might be.

My final thoughtson the Viaje Holiday Blend 2010? Just like most other Viaje limited release sticks, this is not for the novice smoker. The power in this cigar is very evident from the first puff and, if you were not ready for it, I think it my throw you for a loop. Once you look past the strength, the flavors were enjoyable, especially in the second half when the cigar mellowed a bit and became very full and rich in taste. I still am not sure what that mystery flavor is I was tasting towards the end, so I look forward to reading other reviews to see what my fellow smokers get out of this cigar. Awesome construction, perfect burn, enjoyable FULL BODY cigar.

Would I buy it again? I still have a few of these left, so I don't think I would search for more at this moment. While I enjoyed the cigar, there are other rare/limited releases from Viaje with similar power that I enjoyed a bit more. Those would be the ones I hunted for before this one.

Would I buy a box? I could not afford these in box quantities, but if I was a rich man it, would be fun to buy a box to sit on for years, simply because it's for the holidays. It would be great to pull out a full box 5-10 years from now in December and remember back to 2010.

December 7, 2010

Today's review is my last in the series of new releases from the distributor Miami Cigar Company. The Guillermo Leon Signature was released at this past year's IPCPR show and is the newest product to come from the oldest factory in the Dominican Republic-- La Aurora. The cigar carries the name of the the Vice President of La Aurora,Guillermo Leon (@GuillermoLeon_ on twitter.) I had been emailed a press release about this cigar directly from Guillermo, noted below:

“Obviously, this cigar is personal for me. It is part of my family’s legacy for the past 107 years. In this cigar, I wanted something with deep complexity yet also a stronger smoke than most of our offerings. I think this is something that will please today’s smokers.” -- Guillermo Leon

From the sticks I have smoked recently, I think Miami Cigar Company and La Aurora have really been on point. I am excited to try yet another new cigar from them, so...on to the review.

The first thing that caught my eye while looking over my La Aurora Guillermo Leon was just how smooth and evenly colored on the wrapper was. The color was light brown with just a hint of redness, when the light hit it at a certain angle. The veins that were in the leaf were minimal and smooth to the touch. I smoke a lot of "ugly" broadleaf cigars, so seeing this stick was quite a change. The pre-lit aroma was of earthy tobacco with hints of hazelnut closer to the open foot. The cold draw taste proved my nose correct and tasted heavily of hazelnut. It's the holiday season and during this time, we have some baskets of mixed nuts around the house for snacking on. Maybe this helps my palate pick up these flavors more. Who knows?

First Third

After evenly lighting my La Aurora Guillermo Leon, I was easily puffing large volumes of smoke from the cigar. The smoke was thick with a creamy texture which lightly coated my taste buds with earthy, woodsy flavors. Along with those flavors, there was just a hint of warm spice on the finish that tingled just a bit. I'm more than likely going to repeat this in every section, but the construction on this cigar was top of the line. The burn was razor straight and the ash was more solid than I have seen on any other stick this year. I'm not sure if it's to do with the double binder, but I only ashed this cigar 3 times and, every time, I think it could have held on for longer. The body was in the mild range.

Second Third

The second third of my La Aurora Guillermo Leon brought on a change in the flavor profile of my cigar. The hazelnut flavors I picked up so strongly initially in the cold draw were now back and as potent as ever. On the finish, I started getting kicks of sweetened coffee which created a very nice compliment on the front. The spice and woodsy flavors I had before dissipated, but what did not dissipate was the large clouds of smoke this cigar produced on every draw. Again, the smoke was very creamy. Mix the smoke with the hazelnut and coffee flavors and it began to taste like something you would get from your local coffee shop, not a cigar shop. Like mentioned above, the construction was perfect. The body stayed in the mild range.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

The final third can be described in one word: smooth. Now that I've told you how it went in one word, let me entertain you with a few more details. The flavor profile stayed pretty much the same as the second third, with the hazelnut and coffee tastes. I felt, however, that the cigar blended out better in the final third, without much changing, rather just melted together. The body maybe picked up slightly into the medium range, but I would say it was a mild medium if that makes sense. Again, prefect burn and solid ash.

My final thoughts on the La Aurora Guillermo Signature? This is a very easy cigar to smoke. The smoothness in the texture of the smoke is easy on the taste buds and the mild body never effected my system. The flavor profile, especially in the final third where the stick shined for me, was a great blend of strong flavor that left me feeling satisfied.

Would I buy it again? Just like the other sticks I've smoked from Miami Cigar Company and La Aurora, I would buy this stick again. I think this could be a great cigar to hand out to almost anyone from an experienced smoker to a newbie.

Would I buy a box? I personally tend to lean towards more medium-full body cigars, so I'm not sure I would buy a full box of these for myself to smoke. But if you are a mild to medium body cigar smoker, I don't think you'll find to many better than this one in that profile.

December 2, 2010

Today's review is for another new cigar from Miami Cigar Company. The La Sirena was released in Chicago on November 19th, 2010, at a party hosted by our good friends at Casa de Monticristo. The entire crew from Miami Cigar Company attended the event, along with my partners from my sister site Cigar Explorer. Below is a press release from Miami Cigar Company about the cigar and the party.

MIAMI, FL – It’s believed that life on earth originated in the ocean, and now Miami Cigar & Co., makers of the highly-acclaimed Nestor Miranda Collection and Tatiana flavored cigar line, has brought life to a new full-bodied cigar selection inspired by a mythical sea creature. Blended and manufactured by Don Jose “Pepin” Garcia in Nicaragua, La Sirena cigars, Spanish for “mermaid,” will make their Earth debut in Chicago, IL on Friday, November 19 at Casa de Montecristo. The launch will be attended by newly appointed Brand Ambassador, Ms. Arielle Ditkowich. Ms. Ditkowich will also be traveling nationwide to help introduce and promote the La Sirena line.

“We are very happy to finally have that full-bodied cigar in our portfolio,” said Rene Casteneda, Miami Cigar Vice President of Sales. “We have never produced a full-bodied cigar of out the My Father Cigars factory until now, I am very excited to finally enter this market.”

I have to point out right away what everyone says when they first see this cigar. Yes the band is really that big. On a corona sized stick, it is slightly overkill, but the glue holding the band together has not been heavily applied on any of the sticks I've smoked, so removing it is no issue. The wrapper on my La Sirena was dark brown and very rustic looking. There was a significant amount of tooth and some pretty large veins...all the things that most of us know and love about broadleaf.The pre-lit aroma was mostly barnyard smells, mixed in with just a hint of coffee. The triple cap clipped easily and the cold draw consisted of sweet tobbacco mixed with some leather notes.

First Third

Pepper bomb! After lighting my La Sirena the first 5 or 6 draws were an absolute classic Don Pepin blend pepper bomb. The flavors were extremely stong and tingled the top my tongue. The draw was free and the stick gave off a medium amount of smoke...pretty much the amount of smoke you would expect from a cigar of this size. About an inch into the stick, the finish flavors started to come forward and stand out from the pepper. I started tasting a lot of sweet raw honey on every exhale, which really worked well to balance out some of the spice. Slightly further into the first third, the front of the flavor profile started to change too and I could taste some hints of coffee.

Second Third

The second third of my La Sirena is was what I referred to my smoking partner as "where this cigar developed to greatness". This has to be where Pepin, or whoever else was on the taste testing crew for this cigar, realized they were on to something good. Similar to the first third, I was tasting a lot of peppery spice on the front (which I love), and sweetend honey on the finish, but now the black coffee flavors had also developed into a strong characterist of the cigar. Every draw on the cigar produced a complex flavor mixed on my palate that made me want to rush to the next puff. The smoke volume picked up a little which might have helped the flavors be just that much more intense. I want to point out here that, althought the flavors were extremely strong, the finish on the cigar was clean and did not leave my mouth feeling dirty or burnt. This is a hard thing to do with broadleaf and reminded me a lot of the finish on the NHC Reserva from New Havana Cigars. The body was in the medium range for me.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

The final third and things just kept on going perfectly. The flavor mix was almost the same as the second third, with pepper, coffee, and honey, but now every once in awhile I got a slight bitter chocolate taste. This flavor did not come through on every draw, but when it did it, added just another dimention to the flavor profile that was already well established. The cigar burned excellently from start to finish, never requiring any touch-ups. I smoked this stick to the nub and it never got hot or harsh. I know the press release for this cigar says it's a full body smoke. For me, it was more in the medium range; fuller than other sticks from Miami Cigar Company, but I never felt that nic kick that I get from real full body cigars.

My final thoughts on the La Sirena? If you took the time to read this review then you will not be surprised when I say that this new favorite is one of the best cigars I have smoked all year. It's Decemeber...save the best for last, maybe? While I am not yet ready to crown it king of 2010, it will certainly be in the royal court. The flavors were extremely strong, yet evenly balanced, keeping me wanting more the whole time. Yes, I am a sucker for broadleaf and for the Pepin peppery spice, but this stick not only had that, it also had some serious depth in the flavors that may have been missing from some of his other blends this year.

Would I buy it again? Being that this is one of the best cigars I have smoked all year, I see myself buying more of these time and time again. I currently do not have anymore, and I'm not sure if anyone local is selling them yet, but I will be on the hunt and I think you should be too.